Flat-Earthers now claim they have 'proof' that we've all been lied to

If you're someone who has spent even just a little bit of time on the internet over the past few years, it's very likely that you've stumbled across a group of people known as Flat-Earthers. As the name suggests, these folks believe that - contrary to all logical and scientific findings from the last couple of thousand years - our planet is actually flat.

Unfortunately, as cool as it would be to live on the only floating platform in a universe full of globes, it's simply not true. Here are four examples of "proof" that Flat-Earthers frequently use to justify their arguments, as well as a brief explanation for why each and every single one is utter poppycock.

1. The Earth looks flat

As someone who has seen entire cities from the top of a mountain and looked over whole countries from the window of an airplane, I can agree that the Earth does indeed appear to be flat if you just look down. However, it's all a matter of perspective. If you look outwards from a great height, you can see the horizon expand: proof that the Earth has curvature.

2. The sun apparently moves

For someone to believe the Earth is flat, they also have to believe the sun moves - otherwise they'd have no explanation for how night and day happen. And they claim that you can actually witness this happening. Unfortunately, mathematical and scientific explanations don't seem to be enough proof that this isn't true, so how about this explanation: sometimes our eyes play tricks on us. Don't believe me? Take a look at this picture and tell me if the black hole appears to expand.

3. There's not enough empirical evidence for a round world

According to the Flat Earth Society website, "The evidence for a flat Earth is derived from many different facets of science and philosophy. The simplest is by relying on one's own senses to discern the true nature of the world around us... This is using what's called an empirical approach, or an approach that relies on information from your senses." Now, that's all very well and good, but you know what else human beings don't have the capacity to sense? Magnetism. Electricity. Radiation. WiFi. And if you don't believe in those things, you might want to question how exactly you're on the internet right now.

4. The bottoms of clouds are flat

The first thing to address here is that only some clouds have flat bottoms - namely cumulus clouds - but apparently that means the Earth is flat, too. However, these flat undersides are created by the condensation of water vapor and this can only happen at a certain temperature. In order to reach that temperature on a warmer day, the vapor has to travel upwards by tens of thousands of feet, allowing the air to expand due to the larger volume. But this wouldn't be possible if the Earth was flat. Also, shouldn't get warmer as we get higher up, if the sun is really "local" as Flat-Earthers suggest?

It should be pretty clear by now that the Earth is a globe, but no doubt some people will still insist that we've all been duped.